Structural cooling systems and methods

ABSTRACT

A structural cooling system is disclosed, which includes an evaporative cooler suitable for cooling a body of air in an upper, enclosed chamber of a structure, such as an attic, and a series of vents or ducts, particularly around the perimeter of the building, for applying the cooled air selectively to high heat-gain portions of the exterior of the structure. An interior cooling system, which may include an air-conditioning unit, is suitable for cooling the interior of the building, but will require only reduced capacity, because of the cooling effect on the structure&#39;s exterior.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is in the field of systems for altering the temperature ofstructures such as houses or commercial buildings, particularly forcooling human-occupied structures.

Standard home or commercial interior cooling systems rely heavily onair-conditioning units. In some areas of the country, evaporativecoolers have become popular. The primary advantage of evaporativecooling is that it operates at significantly lower power thanair-conditioning systems, but the primary disadvantage is that it issuitable for use only in dry (non-humid) weather. Thus, it is now commonfor evaporative cooling systems to have an air-conditioning backup.However, such dual systems are often expensive, because each "half" ofthe system must have the capacity to cool the entire structure withoutassistance from the other component.

In addition, a great deal of the cooling power of standard interiorcooling systems is wasted by offsetting heat infiltration acrossparticular areas of the structure that allow a high thermal gradient,such as windows, doors, and skylights. Thus, much of the cooling powerof standard systems is wasted.

One prior art system, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,268, issued Jun.22, 1976, to DiPeri, discloses an evaporative-cooling system that solvessome, but not all, of the above-described problems. DiPeri discloses anevaporative cooler with two sets of ducts, one for cooling the interiorof the structure and the other for flowing evaporatively cooled airalong the exterior surface of the roof, to reduce the infiltration ofheat from solar energy impinging on that surface. However, the DiPerisystem does not apply the exterior air selectively, and so the amount ofexterior cooling required to reduce heat infiltration is quite high.Thus, DiPeri-type systems excessively cool the outside air and thereforestill require a large expenditure of total energy. Other systems applyevaporative cooling to spaces outside and adjacent to the structure, butsuch systems also do not apply the exterior cooling selectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for altering the temperature of structures moreenergy-efficiently.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for cooling residences or commercial buildings.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for cooling human-occupied structures.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for heating structures more energy-efficiently.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for using evaporative cooling, which is moreenergy-efficient, to assist air-conditioning equipment, with loweroverall equipment costs.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for blocking or reducing heat infiltration acrosshigh heat-gain areas, such as windows, doors, and skylights, withoutunduly burdening the cooling system.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for selectively applying cooled air to block heatinfiltration.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods including the advantageous use of cooled aircontained in an upper enclosed chamber of a structure.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for using powered fans, preferably solar-powered, toimprove the efficiency of evaporative cooling systems.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for improving the efficiency of air-conditioningcompressors.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for selectively applying cooled air for work orrecreational uses.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for sensing conditions of high heat infiltration andautomatically applying cooled air to block such infiltration.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and improvedsystems and methods for sensing temperature and humidity and applyingsuch information to control a cooling system for a structure to maximizeits efficiency.

The above and other objects of the invention are achieved in thedisclosed embodiments through a structural cooling system that includesan evaporative cooler suitable for cooling a body of air in an upper,enclosed chamber of a structure, such as an attic, and a series of ventsor ducts, particularly around the perimeter of the building, forapplying the cooled air selectively to high heat-gain portions of theexterior of the structure. Another interior cooling element, which mayinclude an air-conditioning unit, is suitable for cooling the interiorof the building, but will require reduced capacity or usage, because ofthe cooling effect on the structure's exterior.

In one extension of the invention, fans, preferably using solar power,are placed through the roof into the upper enclosed chamber of thestructure containing the cooled body of air. The fans are used to pullair from outside through the evaporative cooler, reducing the powerrequired to operate that unit.

Any subset of the following set of options for applying the body of aircooled by the evaporative cooler can be implemented: (a) vents can beplaced directly above exterior windows to permit a curtain of cooled airto flow from the enclosed chamber across the exterior surface of thewindows; (b) skylights can be placed so that the cooled body of airpasses through the skylights; (c) one or more vents or ducts can directa stream of cooled air at the compressor unit of an air-conditioner; (d)a duct can apply the cooled air from the enclosed chamber tosemi-enclosed areas such as garages or porches; (e) vents can be placedto provide a curtain of cooled air across doors or entrances; (f) a ductcan direct cooled air to areas outside but adjacent to the structurethat are used for work or recreation, such as patios or pool areas; or(g) ducts can direct cooled air to the building's interior, allowingapplication of that cooled air to reduce or replace entirely the levelof air-conditioning required to maintain a comfortable environment.

Any of the following set of options for controlling the system can alsobe selected: (a) temperature or humidity sensors and coupled controlequipment can switch ducts leading to the building interior, allowingthe system to select automatically the most efficient method orcombination of methods of cooling the habited, enclosed areas of thestructure; (b) temperature or humidity sensors and coupled controlequipment can switch ducts leading to the semi-enclosed areas such as agarage, to maintain those areas at a relatively comfortable temperatureat relatively lower cost; (c) a manual switch can permit the occupant tocontrol ducts leading to work or recreational areas; or (d) sensors ormotion detectors can detect the opening of a door, or the arrival of aperson near a door, permitting the activation of ducts directing cooledair across doors only when the door is opened or about to be opened.

The system of the invention can be modified to operate as a heatingsystem, or a combination heating and cooling system, by providing a heatsink in a portion of the structure for containing a body of heated air,preferably heated with passive solar techniques, which can be applied toexterior portions of the structure susceptible to high heat loss fromthe structure.

Thus, the inventive system can reduce substantially the quantity ofair-conditioning required to cool the interior of a structure to anacceptable level. The controlled and selective application of thecreated body of cooled air permits more efficient interior coolingwithout requiring excessive outside cooling.

Other aspects of the invention will be appreciated by those skilled inthe art after reviewing the following detailed description of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features of the invention are described with particularity inthe claims. The invention, together with its objects and advantages,will be better understood after referring to the following descriptionand the accompanying figures. Throughout the figures, a common referencenumeral is intended to refer to the same element.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a structure incorporating aspects ofa preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up cross-sectional view of a window portion of thestructure shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a structure incorporating aspects ofa preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 shows a view of the samestructure, as would be seen if the front portion of the structure werecut away, as indicated by the 2--2 cut line in the perspective view ofFIG. 1. Evaporative-type cooler 10 can be placed on the roof, as shown,or on the ground adjacent to the structure, or mounted on a platformagainst a dormer on the side of the structure. Cooler 10 can besolar-powered, A.C.-powered, or a combination of the two. Cool, moistair is forced by the blower of cooler 10 into an enclosed chamber of thestructure, preferably at or near the top of the structure, such as attic12 of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Most residentialdesigns in popular use have a chamber suitable for enclosing the cooledbody of air. Pitched roofs with trusses, or parapet designs with trussedroofs (such as Santa Fe or Territorial styles) are examples of suitabledesigns. In a commercial structure, such as an office building, air fromcooler 10 can be held in a utility room or mechanical area, such asfrequently exist near the top of such structures, or an area above adrop ceiling, perhaps even on each level.

The passage of air into attic 12 can be assisted by one or more fans 14,which operate to pull in outside air. Fans 14 have both their inlet andoutlets inside the attic 12. Because attic 12 omits the typical roofvents, fans 14 pull outside air inside attic 12 through the vent systemassociated with cooler 10, thereby assisting the blower of cooler 10 andreducing the power required to operate that element. Preferably, fans 14can be of the variable-speed, photovoltaic-powered type, which allowsfor increased air intake at the times of greatest need and greatestpower consumption.

In hot weather, such evaporatively cooled air as introduced into attic12 may not be suitable for use directly in the lower, habited interiorof the house, either because it is too humid or because it is too hot.However, that air will normally be cooler than the air on the exteriorof the structure in such hot weather. In addition, the system willprevent the build up of high temperatures in attic 12. In many housesnot equipped with the system of the invention, attic temperatures canreach 65° C. in the hot parts of the summer. One advantage of theinvention is that the temperature of the pocket of air in the attic 12is significantly reduced from a level that can be well above the outsideambient air temperature to a level well below the outside ambient airtemperature. That feature not only reduces the energy needed to cool theinterior of the structure, but also eliminates or reduces the need forinsulation in the floor of attic 12.

In the hot weather, the cool, moist body of air in attic 12 is thenapplied as a film or curtain of cool air at a number of other areas,including predetermined sections of the perimeter of the structure.Exterior vents 16 near the lower portions of attic 12 at the perimeterof the structure permit the flow of air to be directed from attic 12downward along the exterior of the structures- Vents 16 are preferablylocated near sections of the structure that would permit the passage ofa great deal of heat into the interior of the structure- One principalarea of such high heat-gain is glass windows. Modern building design,both residential and commercial, often emphasizes the use of windows,such as for purposes of increasing lighting and spatial perception.However, the increased use of windows reduces the energy efficiency ofthe structure, which effect is combated by the system of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates (not to scale) in cross-sectional view one design ofthe structure surrounding one of vents 16 placed above a window.Exterior surface 18, which may be made of any material, such as sidingor stucco, is placed slightly farther than usual from interior wallboard20. For example, if usual walls are built with 2×4 boards, 2×6 boardsmay be used instead, so that the exterior wall is placed 6" rather than4" inches from the interior walls. Window frame 24--made with 2×4s--isplaced towards the interior wall of the house, and glass window 22 isattached flush with or near the outside of window frame 24. Because ofthe greater-than-normal thickness of the exterior wall, there is a gapbetween window frame 24 and the plane made up by exterior surface 18.Vents 16 are placed directly above that gap.

All places between surfaces 18 and 20 except at the windows can befilled with insulating batts (not shown), as is present industrypractice. If desired, portions of the space between surfaces 18 and 20directly above window frame 24 can also be insulated, and the insulationcan be secured in place with board 26 made of wood or sheet metal,permitting a gap for the passage of air between attic 12 and vent 16.

Application of the air across the glass does not restrict views throughthe window, as does most window heat shielding. If further protection isdesired, however, standard heat-resistent techniques can be applied aswell, such as placing films on the window glass or adding shade screen28, shown in FIG. 3 aligned with exterior surface 18. The addition ofscreen 28 has the added benefit of providing a conduit for the passageof the cooled air, reducing the chance that the air stream will becometurbulent before reaching the bottom of the window glass.

As shown by the arrows, in the design of FIG. 3, cooled air passes fromattic 12 through the space in the exterior wall above and outside ofwindow frame 24 and continues through vent 16 down along the exterior ofwindow 22. Other modifications can be used in place of the system ofFIG. 3. For example, the cooled air can pass between the panes of adual-pane window, or the outside portion of the window france can bepierced with holes, creating vent 16 and permitting the passage of airalong the outside of glass 22 without the need for a thicker exteriorwall.

Air-conditioner 30, of standard design, cools the interior of thestructure through a standard vent and duct system. However, theinventive system requires less air-conditioning to achieve the samedegree of cooling.

For example, on a hot summer's day in a desert environment, the ambientair temperature may exceed 40° C. Therefore, to obtain an interiortemperature of 25° C., a conventional air-conditioning system must fighta gradient of at least 15° C. Indeed, as noted above, most attics willheat up above the outside ambient air temperature, making the gradienteven larger when averaged across the surface of the structure's interiorareas. In the inventive system, by contrast, the exterior "envelope" ofair at the high heat gain areas and the air mass in attic 12, mostlysurround the interior of the structure with air that is below outsideambient air temperature. The system of FIG. 1 uses evaporative cooler 10to create a partially cooled body of air, perhaps with a temperature of32° C., which envelops the structure, permitting air-conditioning system30 to work against a greatly reduced gradient, 7° C. in this example.

That reduced temperature gradient permits a substantial reduction in thesize and power (tonnage) of the air-conditioning unit 30, thereby savingenergy.By contrast, most dual evaporative-cooler and air-conditionersystems require each of those elements to have the capacity to cool theentire structure, because only one will typically operate at a time. Inaddition, because evaporative cooling is substantially more energyefficient than air-conditioning--typically by a factor of four or fivetimes--the overall energy cost required to achieve the desired insidetemperature can be lowered. The preferred system can achieve evengreater savings, because fans 14 assist cooler 10, as explained above.Even on days that are too humid for a standard evaporative cooler tooperate efficiently, the inventive system can reduce the temperaturedifferential that air conditioner 30 must overcome, more than justifyingthe use of both pieces of equipment simultaneously.

The system provides additional advantages besides energy savings. Thereduced tonnage of the air-conditioning unit allows lower capitaloutlays and installation costs and reduces the demand for fluorocarbons,which is a recognized environmental hazard. The addition of cool, humidair around the building's periphery also allows for a greater diversityof plants in hot, arid regions.

The partially cooled air mass can be used to best advantage by focusingon the areas of highest heat penetration into the structure. In mostbuildings, glass areas, such as windows and skylights, are the largestsource of heat gain. In some applications, though, the expected size ofthe air mass or other constraints, such as the need to limitinstallation costs, may prevent the use of the inventive system such asshown in FIG. 3 for all windows. In such circumstances, it is preferredto apply the cooled air to those glass areas that have the greatest heatgradient, because they are larger or less well-insulated. In structuresthat do not have such constraints, however, it is possible to cover allsignificant window areas and have capacity left over for other uses.

Another high-priority use of the cooled body of air in attic 12, whichalso can improve the efficiency of the overall cooling system, is tocool the compressor unit of air-conditioner 30. In FIG. 2, vent 32 isshaped so as to direct a cone of cooled air at air-conditioner 30.Cooling the compressor unit permits the air-conditioner 30 to operatewith greater efficiency, because cooling reduces the "back pressure,"allowing the compressor to operate using a larger temperaturedifferential.

The cooled air mass also can be applied to reduce heat infiltrationthrough skylights. The skylight in FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrates onestandard type with a clear dome 34 mounted on the roof and a clear sheet36 replacing part of the attic floor. The side walls inside attic 12often used in standard skylight designs can be omitted in the inventivesystem, because the cool air in attic 12 can remove the heat passingthrough dome 34 while permitting the light to proceed through sheet 36.Because evaporative cooling systems operate with high air volumes, heatbuildup from the skylight is minimized.

The cooled air mass also can be applied to reduce heat infiltrationthrough outside entrances such as doors. In FIGS. 1 and 2, for example,vent 38 is positioned to create a curtain of air just in front of door40. The curtain of air substantially reduces heat infiltration when door40 is opened, and has the collateral advantage of blocking entry by mostflying insects.

In a preferred embodiment, motion detector 42 (perhaps on both sides ofthe door) can sense the approach of a person and issue a signal causingthe activation of airflow through vent 38. Other sensing devices can beused in place of motion detector 42, such as heat detectors, sounddetectors, contact detectors (perhaps connected to the doorknob), orother optical sensors. Any other suitable means for indicating that door40 is opening or about to be opened can be also used, such aselectro-mechanical switches activated by the doorknob or doorbell, aperson stepping on a doormat, or door 40 itself beginning to open, suchas a switch that is triggered by the loss of contact across a simplecontact switch mounted on the door 40 and frame of door 40. Activationof the sensor can activate the airflow for a predetermined or adjustableperiod of time, or else the sensor, or a second sensor such as theabove-described contact switch, can be utilized to detect when door 40is closed. Such sensors can be connected to, or shared with, an alarmsystem for the structure.

An advantage of the preferred embodiment is that the curtain of cooledair is not activated except when door 40 is opened. That permitsconservation of the cooled air mass except when it is needed the most,because doors are typically not subject to high heat-gain unless theyare open.

Yet another application for the cooled air mass is areas of thestructure that are enclosed or partially enclosed but not typicallyair-conditioned, such as garages, workrooms, storage rooms, utilityrooms, glassed-in porches, and the like. FIG. 1 illustrates one suchapplication, in which garage 44 is cooled by air passing through duct orvent 46. Areas such as garage 44 are often immediately adjacent to theair-conditioned interior of the structure, and the insulation in andaround the doors or walls dividing the two areas is often inadequate. Inaddition, such areas are often subject to heat build-up, making themsubject to the same type of problem to which attics are subject.Application of the cooled air to such portions of the structure reducesthe infiltration of heat through those areas and also provides addedcomfort for occupants of the structure as they pass through or spendtime in those areas such as garage 44.

Another option for using the cooled air mass is for "on demand" coolingof exterior work and recreational areas, such as patios, porches, andpool decks in residential structures; and walkways, courtyards, andplazas, in commercial structures. In FIG. 2, fan 52 is positioned toblow air onto patio 54. The occupant can control fan 52 with switch orother control 56. The system has significant advantages over presentsystems for evaporatively cooling exterior areas. The most common systemin use today includes misting devices but that system suffers from theproblem of excessive moisture or dripping. Because evaporative coolingin the inventive system is done at evaporative cooler 10 and insideattic 12, rather than on patio 54 itself, there is no excessive moistureor dripping possible.

If the capacity of the evaporative cooler 10 is great enough, it ispossible to vent evaporatively cooled air into the interior of thestructure through one or more vents and associated ducts, such asstandard air-conditioning duct 48 in FIG. 2. After passing through thestructure, the cooler air (which will have picked up some heat in thecourse of cooling the interior of the structure) can be passed intoattic 12 through up-duct 47, after which the partially cooled air can beapplied as stated elsewhere in this patent. Damper 49 can open or closeduct 48, thereby controlling the application of cooled air to theinterior of the structure. Duct 47 can also be fitted with a similardamper. Those dampers, including damper 49 of FIG. 2 on duct 48, arepreferably electro-mechanically coupled to a controller 50. Althoughcontroller 50 is shown in FIG. 2 as located in the interior of thestructure, it may be placed in another suitable location.

In a preferred embodiment, controller 50 is also electronically coupledto at least one sensor 51, such as a simple thermometer, or a wet-bulbthermometer located in the attic and having an exterior probe, which isuseful in measuring exterior temperature and humidity. Sensors 51provide feedback to controller 50 for automatic operation of vents orducts 48 leading to the interior of the structure. Controller 50 can beprogrammed to determine whether the weather conditions make it moresuitable to use evaporative cooling or air-conditioning to cool theinterior of the structure, taking into account efficiency and comfort,and to alter dampers 49 on duct 48 and the damper on up-duct 47automatically, depending on the conclusion reached by the program.

In an even more integrated system, controller 50 can have electronicleads to air-conditioner 30 and evaporative cooler 10, allowing it toalter the level of operation of those devices to implement the selectedmode of operation. Such automated feedback permits further reduction inenergy usage by taking advantage of evaporative cooler 10 whenconditions permit. Evaporative coolers typically provide equivalentcooling power for about 20-25% of the cost of air-conditioners, but theycannot be used effectively in certain conditions, notably when thehumidity rises about a certain level. Even on humid days, though, thereare often certain periods of time during which the relative humidity islow enough to make operation of the evaporative cooler practical.

The preferred sensing system permits utilization of evaporative cooler10 for interior cooling during those times when its operation would beeconomical and the cool air it outputs would feel comfortable to theinhabitants, even if the weather switches quickly. During other times,controller 50 would close vents or ducts 48 to evaporatively cooled air,and would operate evaporative cooler 10 only sufficiently to create acooled air mass in attic 12 that is useful to assist air-conditioningunit 30 in the ways discussed above.

Controller 50 can select, therefore, among various modes of operation:(1) In hot, moderately humid weather, it may use evaporative cooler 10only for exterior uses and rely on air-conditioner 30 to cool theinterior; (2) in hot, dry weather, it may apply air cooled byevaporative cooler 10 to parts of the interior but use air-conditioner30 to provide additional cooling power in other areas; (3) in moderatelywarm but extremely humid weather, it may shut off evaporative cooler 10entirely, because it is ineffective or inefficient; (4) in hot, dryweather, it may shut off air-conditioner 30 entirely, relying onevaporative cooler 10 to cool the interior by itself; and (5) in coolerweather, it may shut off the entire system. Controller 50 can bepre-programmed to choose among those modes of operation depending on theweather conditions sensed and the thermostat setting selected by theoccupant.

Any of the possible systems for using the cooled body of air in attic 12can be automatically controlled by hooking up the vent or ductassociated with that use to controller 50. For example, in extremely hotweather, when the system is working near its capacity, it may bedesirable to program controller 50 to shut down vent 46 cooling garage44 or fan 52 cooling patio 54, or cycle them for operation only part ofthe time, sacrificing those benefits to retain reasonable efficiency. Asanother example, it may be desirable to close vent 32, which directscool air at the compressor of air-conditioner 30, when air-conditioner30 is shut down, or at least a short period of time thereafter. Also, itmay be desirable to reduce or eliminate the air flow through exteriorvents 16 or 38 if evaporative cooler 10 is being used to cool theinterior of the structure.

An alternative, low-cost method of activating the flow of cool air intogarage 44 is to use an exhaust fan 45 having a temperature sensor thatactivates the fan when the temperature exceeds a preset level. Whenexhaust fan 45 operates, the pressure in the garage will drop, pullingopen normally closed vent 46, which can, for example, be spring-loaded.That system permits activation of the garage-cooling option when thetemperature increases, without the need for sophisticated controls suchas controller 50.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, some degree ofmanual control of elements of the system is also possible by the use ofsimple manual dampers. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates manual damper 58for closing vent 16 above window 22. Such dampers can be used, forexample, to close down the system during the winter.

The inventive system can be modified for use as a heating, rather than acooling, system. Passive solar heating techniques, such as thoseillustrated in FIG. 1 by the south-facing attic windows 60 having anoverhang, permit heating of the body of air in attic 12, particularlyduring winter afternoons. The heated body of air can then be applied toan interior heat sink, such as concrete wall 62 in FIGS. 1 and 2 or aheavy pole or concrete slab, for later use as a source of radiant heat.Alternatively, the heated air mass can be used to create curtains ofheated air around the perimeter of the structure, in any of the waysdetailed above. Another modification to the system to permit moreeffective operation in cool weather can include adjustments for the factthat hot air rises while cool air fails, such as the placement ofalternative "winter vents" at the lower part of windows or other areasof high heat gain, or the addition of fans or blowers to force the hotair downward. Also, the system can use another space in the lowerportion of the structure, such as a basement, to store the heated bodyof air. It would be particularly useful to apply the heated air to thecoldest areas of the structure, which might be, for example, glasswindows on the north face of the structure.

Thus, it is understood by those skilled in the art that numerousalternate forms and embodiments of the invention can be devised withoutdeparting from its spirit and scope.

I claim:
 1. A temperature-control system for a structure comprising:(a)first cooling means for applying evaporatively cooled air to a select,enclosed chamber inside a structure; (b) second cooling means forcooling air in areas inside the structure other than the select chamber;and (c) venting means including an outlet oriented to directevaporatively cooled air from the select, enclosed chamber in at leastone of the following directions;i) into a flat, partially enclosedvolume adjoining the outside of a window in an exterior wall of thestructure; and ii) into a select, otherwise uncooled, area of thestructure that is at least partially enclosed.
 2. The system of claim 1in which the second cooling means comprises at least oneair-conditioning unit.
 3. The system of claim 1 further comprising fanmeans for pulling air into the select, enclosed chamber of thestructure.
 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the outlet is oriented topass air into a select, partially enclosed volume adjoining areas insidethe structure that are cooled by the second cooling means, which volumeis separated from said inside areas by materials permitting high heatgain, such that air passing through the outlet reduces the infiltrationof heat from outside the structure into the areas inside the structurecooled by the second cooling means.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein theventing means includes at least one outlet oriented to directevaporatively cooled air into a select, otherwise uncooled, area of thestructure that is at least partially enclosed, and wherein said areacomprises one of the following:(a) an enclosed, uncooled garage; and (b)a semi-enclosed patio adjacent to enclosed portions of the structure. 6.The system of claim 1 further comprising means for at least partiallyobstructing the application of air by the venting means to at least oneof said outlets.
 7. A temperature-control system for a structurecomprising:(a) means for evaporatively cooling air; (b) means forcooling air in areas inside the structure; (c) venting means forapplying evaporatively cooled air to and through at least one outletoriented to direct evaporatively cooled air across an entrance to thestructure; (d) control means for automatically altering the applicationof air through the outlet; and (e) sensor means, coupled to the controlmeans, for detecting the presence of a moving object proximate to theentrance; (f) wherein the control means includes means for applying airthrough the outlet only when the sensor means detects the presence of amoving object proximate to the entrance.
 8. A temperature-control systemfor a structure comprising:(a) at least one evaporative cooling unithaving an outlet for expelling cooled air; (b) at least oneair-conditioning unit having an outlet for expelling cooled air; (c)first air ducts leading from the outlet of the evaporative cooling unitto a select, enclosed chamber of a structure just below a roof of thestructure; (d) second air ducts leading from the outlet of theair-conditioning unit to areas inside the structure other than theselect chamber; (e) at least one air vent leading from the select,enclosed chamber to at least one area outside the structure; and (f) atleast one open-sided skylight oriented to allow ambient light to passthrough the select chamber, which skylight is comprised of two panelsthrough which light can pass, one placed in the roof of the selectchamber and the other placed between the select chamber and an area ofthe structure to which at least one of the second air ducts leads. 9.The system of claim 8 further comprising at least one solar-powered fanhaving an air inlet and an air outlet inside the select, enclosedchamber of the structure.
 10. The system of claim 8 further comprisingat least one damper positioned to at least partially obstruct at leastone air vent.
 11. A system for altering the temperature of a structurecomprising:(a) first means for altering the temperature of the interiorof a structure; (b) second means for generating a supply of air of atemperature different from the temperature outside the structure; and(c) third means for channelling a quantity of air generated by thesecond means through a flat, partially enclosed volume adjoining theoutside of a window in an exterior wall of the structure.
 12. The systemof claim 11 wherein the first means comprises an air-conditioning unit.13. The system of claim 11 wherein the second means comprises anevaporative cooling unit.
 14. The system of claim 11 wherein the secondmeans comprises an exhaust system including ducts and fans suited tomove air from the first means to the interior of the structure and thento the third means.
 15. The system of claim 11 further comprising meansfor applying the air generated by the second means to a select, enclosedchamber of the structure, and wherein the third means comprises meansfor moving the air from the select enclosed chamber into the partiallyenclosed volume.
 16. The system of claim 11 further comprising a shadescreen disposed proximate to but not in contact with the window, andwherein the partially enclosed volume comprises a space between thewindow and the shade screen.
 17. The system of claim 11 wherein thewindow includes a first pane of transparent material, further comprisinga second pane of transparent material parallel and adjacent to theexterior surface of the window, and wherein the partially enclosedvolume comprises a vented space between the two panes.
 18. The system ofclaim 11 wherein the third means includes a louvered vent with a damperplaced adjacent to the outside of the window.
 19. A method for alteringthe temperature of a structure comprising:(a) using a primary system toalter the temperature of the interior of a structure; and (b)simultaneously generating a supply of air of a temperature differentfrom the temperature outside the structure and channelling said airthrough a flat, partially enclosed volume adjoining the outside of awindow in an exterior wall of the structure.
 20. The method of claim 19wherein (b) comprises using an evaporative cooling unit to lower thetemperature of outside air and directing the evaporatively cooled air sothat it flows in a flat plane down along the outside of the window andinside a shade screen mounted adjacent to the window.